Dryad
Published December 19, 2018 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Data from: A global perspective on the trophic geography of sharks

Authors/Creators

  • 1. National Oceanography Centre
  • 2. CIBIO—Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Vairão, Portugal*
  • 3. James Cook University
  • 4. University of Barcelona
  • 5. Sultan Qaboos University
  • 6. National Marine Fisheries Service
  • 7. Ifremer, Unité Halieutique Gascogne Sud, Laboratoire Ressources Halieutiques de La Rochelle, L'Houmeau, France*
  • 8. Ifremer, Unité Littoral, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence Azur Corse, La Seyne sur Mer, France*
  • 9. FishWise, Santa Cruz, USA*
  • 10. Cape Eleuthera Institute
  • 11. Zurich, Switzerland*
  • 12. University of La Rochelle
  • 13. Stanford University
  • 14. University of the Azores
  • 15. Spanish National Research Council
  • 16. Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé
  • 17. Unité Biogéochimie et Écotoxicologie, Laboratoire de Biogéochimie des Contaminants Métalliques, Nantes, France*
  • 18. Florida International University
  • 19. National Scientific and Technical Research Council
  • 20. Université Catholique de Louvain
  • 21. University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • 22. Université d'été de Boulogne-sur-Mer
  • 23. Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld, Port Elizabeth, South Africa*
  • 24. University of Cape Town
  • 25. Health Sciences University of Hokkaido
  • 26. Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute
  • 27. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • 28. Aarhus University
  • 29. University of Windsor
  • 30. University of Namibia
  • 31. University of Victoria
  • 32. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • 33. Andrés Bello University
  • 34. Ifremer, Unité Sciences et Techniques Halieutiques, Laboratoire de Technologie et Biologie Halieutique, Lorient, France*
  • 35. University of Southern Mississippi
  • 36. Shanghai Ocean University
  • 37. French National Centre for Scientific Research
  • 38. Harvard University
  • 39. Simon Fraser University
  • 40. Australian Institute of Marine Science
  • 41. Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography
  • 42. Griffith University
  • 43. College of William & Mary
  • 44. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  • 45. Texas A&M University
  • 46. Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano
  • 47. University of Newcastle Australia
  • 48. Autonomous University of Campeche
  • 49. Stony Brook University
  • 50. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
  • 51. WorldFish
  • 52. Spanish Institute of Oceanography
  • 53. Southeastern University
  • 54. University of Hong Kong
  • 55. University of Tokyo

Description

Sharks are a diverse group of mobile predators that forage across varied spatial scales and have the potential to influence food web dynamics. The ecological consequences of recent declines in shark biomass may extend across broader geographic ranges if shark taxa display common behavioural traits. By tracking the original site of photosynthetic fixation of carbon atoms that were ultimately assimilated into muscle tissues of 5,394 sharks from 114 species, we identify globally consistent biogeographic traits in trophic interactions between sharks found in different habitats. We show that populations of shelf-dwelling sharks derive a substantial proportion of their carbon from regional pelagic sources, but contain individuals that forage within additional isotopically diverse local food webs, such as those supported by terrestrial plant sources, benthic production and macrophytes. In contrast, oceanic sharks seem to use carbon derived from between 30° and 50° of latitude. Global-scale compilations of stable isotope data combined with biogeochemical modelling generate hypotheses regarding animal behaviours that can be tested with other methodological approaches.

Notes

Bird_etal_shark_trophic_geography
Carbon isotope data compiled from muscle tissues of 5394 sharks from 114 species. Data provided include d13C values, latitude of capture, designation as shelf, slope or oceanic shark, length, depth of capture (where available), C/N ratios of muscle, and lipid extraction method if used. Also included are phytoplankton d13C data modelled from Magozzi et al 2016 (Ecosphere 8(5):e01763. 10.1002/ecs2.1763). Model data expressed as the median and standard deviation d13C value for the Longhurst Biogeographic province corresponding to the location of shark capture

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Additional details

Related works

Is cited by
10.1038/s41559-017-0432-z (DOI)